Today I have the pleasure of highlighting my interview with Dr. Yvette Prior, and her generous praise for “Surviving Sue”:
“Surviving Sue” is a memoir that traces a childhood shaped by instability, fear, and complicated love. Atkinson recounts growing up with her mother, Sue, whose struggles with alcoholism, depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease, and Munchausen by Proxy created a volatile home environment. The narrative does not flatten Sue into a villain. Instead, it presents a portrait of a woman who could be magnetic and engaging one moment, then unpredictable and controlling the next. Throughout, Atkinson describes protecting her developmentally disabled sister, Lisa, while also attempting to advocate for her mother, even in the face of emotional harm.
What stood out to me right away was how Atkinson never gave up on family, choosing instead to draw boundaries and seek support to problem solve. This memoir is refreshing in its reminder that no family is perfect, and I appreciated how openly she shared her family experiences. Not only did I feel like I came to know the author more deeply, but many moments stayed with me, such as the reminder that “delivery” matters when trying to prevent triggered responses and how we can learn to heal and cope with manipulative behaviors from family members. My longer book review is here and my five-star review is available on Amazon.
Yvette’s endorsement came at a splendid time. I’m finalizing my first-ever novel, “Slivers” – inspired by my mom, Sue, and her highly intuitive family.
It was quite the leap to consider how I might use the memoir I’d written as fuel to draw out a ghost story, of all things. But I’ve done it and I’ll be back in just a few weeks to share more…including early reviews and book launch details.
Thank you all for sticking with me on this journey, for your warmth and encouragement and curiosity about my latest project. In the meantime, please take a look at my interview with Yvette and her generous review of “Surviving Sue” – and don’t miss the fun Q & A in the comments!
Vicki 💝
Dr. Yvette Prior: https://priorhouse.wordpress.com/
Hi – I’m Victoria, Vicki, Dr. Vicki. I hold a doctorate in Adult Education and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and author of Surviving Sue | Eckhartz Press
Check out this link to learn more about my book “Surviving Sue” – all about resilience and love.
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Victoria Ponders 
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